Lusaka – The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has called on the government to adopt robust and sustainable strategies aimed at strengthening Zambia’s social protection systems.
CSPR Executive Director Isabel Mukelebai raised concern over the country’s continued dependence on donor funding to support key social protection programs, cautioning that such reliance jeopardizes the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of these initiatives.
“There is an urgent need for government to put in place mechanisms that ensure social protection becomes more self-reliant and sustainable,” said Ms Mukelebai. “We cannot continue to rely heavily on external support if we want to build a resilient safety net for our people.”
She further stressed the importance of a well-defined framework to guide the graduation of beneficiaries from the Social Cash Transfer program. Mukelebai noted that the absence of structured exit strategies undermines the long-term impact of the program and may lead to dependency rather than empowerment.
“A clear and comprehensive graduation framework is essential. Without it, we risk missing the goal of empowering households to lift themselves out of poverty,” she added.
Ms Mukelebai concluded by urging the government to focus on building a more inclusive and resilient social protection system,one capable of providing meaningful support to the most vulnerable members of society, particularly in times of economic and social shocks.
